The History of Novato

This is an 1859 Plat map of the Novato Rancho, one of the original Land Grants that divided what we now know as Marin County. (For a larger image click on the thumbnail above.) Plat maps were created to show survey information about area, divisions and boundaries of a piece of land, being sold or transferred. Most early Plat maps showed boundaries as running "from Laurel tree, NE, 47 chains to High peak, E 15 degrees S, 36 chains to..." etc. Once completed and approved by a local governing body, they became legal documents. (Text by Bill Damon.)